Irritable Bowel Syndrome in Children: Hope and Help
By Debra Gibson, ND Health Begins in the Colon I
first learned this fundamental precept of natural medicine when I was a naturopathic medi- cal student. Its homely but powerful wisdom
has proven itself over time, through my clinical experience as a naturopathic physician and as evidenced by a substantial and ever-increasing body of research. What seemed to me a quaint, abstract concept in naturopathic medical school I now apply to almost every patient, whether they have gastrointestinal issues, chronic sinusitis, or anxiety. When children develop a problem such as irritable bowel syn- drome it’s even more important to view it from this holistic perspective and to consider the implications for not just the digestive tract but for the entire body (including the emotions and the mind). Failure to resolve even mild chronic bowel issues can have profoundly detrimental effects on health far into the future, even for life.
What is IBS? In both adults and children, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, or IBS,
is characterized by abdominal discomfort or pain, bloating, and flatulence (gas). Constipation or diarrhea, which may alternate (a few days of constipation followed by loose or diarrheic bowel move- ments) also are common. The intensity of symptoms ranges from mild to severe and symptoms may be episodic or constant. IBS also is referred to as spastic colon, or mucous colitis. It is considered to be a chronic condition, one which is uncomfortable and may impose lifestyle limitations on sufferers, but is less serious than inflammatory bowel diseases such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease. For those with moderate to severe IBS, however, the condition can significantly erode quality of life; in addition to the discomfort of the physical symptoms and the fatigue caused by chronic
pain.The loss of control of a private bodily function can create feelings of em-
Westside Chiropractic, LLC Dr. Richard Duenas
Chiropractic Physician • Board Certified Neurologist
Dr. Christina Kosswig Chiropractic Physician
Natural Health Care for Family and Friends
West Hartford / Hartford 557 Prospect Avenue (860) 523-5833
www.westsidechiropractors.com 12 Natural Nutmeg August 2012
barrassment and shame, and can contribute to anxiety and depression. The physical, emotional and mental effects of IBS can be deeply experienced by children.
To hear a child with chronic bowel irritability unemo- tionally express that he or she does not want to live if it means ongoing abdominal pain and exhaustion makes disturbingly clear the toll this condition can take. A report from the National Institutes of Health notes that five years after diagnosis most people with IBS still have it – a discouraging prognosis, but one which can be significantly improved upon with natural medicine ap- proaches.
May I Have Your Attention Please?
The term Irritable Bowel is an accurate description of the underlying problem: The bowel (the lower part of the digestive tract, between the stomach and the rectum) becomes irritated and acts out in the same way an unhappy or distressed child might act out. It’s the body’s way of asking for at- tention, telling us that something’s wrong here, and it’s a pretty effective message. After all, the symp- toms of irritable bowel syndrome – the bloating and gassiness, discomfort or pain, constipated or abnormally loose bowel movements – are hard to ignore. In responding to this request for attention we can just focus on treating symptoms, which is the conventional medical response to IBS – or we can listen carefully, search for the deeper causes of digestive dysfunction, and work to heal them.
Food Toxicity The first place to start with IBS is with the most common, fre-
quent source of irritation for the bowel; the food and drink that go into it several times a day. Food toxicity (also called food sensitivity or food intolerance) refers to the effects of certain negative interac- tions between the immune system, specific foods, and the body; these interactions create inflammatory reactions in the tissues affect- ed by them, and among the most common tissues targeted by these toxic food reactions are those of the digestive tract. These reactions are different from those of classic food allergy, which are caused by a different part of the immune system and have different effects in the body. And in contrast to a classic food allergy reaction, in which symptoms appear quickly after exposure to the problem food (for example, an immediate hive reaction or life-threatening anaphylac- tic response to eating peanuts or shellfish), food toxicity/ sensitivity reactions usually occur after a delay of anywhere from two hours to two days after exposure to the offending food. This makes them diffi- cult to identify – if abdominal pain intensifies two days after eating a toxic, inflammatory food, back tracking to what was eaten a couple of days before is a challenge. Add to this the cumulative effect of this kind of food reaction, such that eating two problem foods in a day may have little noticeable effect, but eating four or five of them kicks
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